A Case for Leadership

How Organizations Become Great


Pasch

Pasch

Congratulations to those considered for this year’s 100 Best Organizations!

Great organizations do not “just happen”.

Their success is not due to luck.

The common denom­inator among great or­ganizations: Great lead­ership year after year. The path forward for all organizations, whether you believe your organization is: 1) Stuck on the ground, or 2) Doing ok but could do better, or 3) Soaring, looking for the next challenge,

Improve your organization’s leadership; make a concerted effort to be the best.

To help you make this list next year, I’ll offer some questions organizations should begin addressing today. Most as­sume the list is long, incomprehensible, and impossible to achieve. Well, the list that propels an organization to success contains 3 vital concepts. The list works well for you as a leader and for your entire organization. Today, we are concentrating on your organization. Here are the ques­tions:

1) Where do you want to go?

2) Where are you now?

These questions are not about where you are physically, but the intra-workings of your crew.

3) What course is most likely to get you from where you are to where you want to go?

If we surveyed the crews at each of the organizations achieving “Best” status, I’ll bet they got where they are due to a key cri­terion: Their vision is big! Think President Kennedy’s “We Choose to go to the moon” vision. Identify something meaningful in which all crew members feel honored to be involved.

Ask each member of your crew, “Do you merely have a job or are you part of a mis­sion?” Crewmembers of great organiza­tions believe they are part of a mission to achieve something great.

To determine where you are now, I rec­ommend you start by evaluating your hir­ing/ onboarding process. First, we’ll look at the process for organizations not likely to be great:

1. Someone (HR is often saddled with this) performs the standard resume/ references check, then interview. Good employees are tough to find so, if someone meets the minimum criteria, they’re hired.

2. First day on the job, someone welcomes the new employee, issues the required items (keys, codes, etc.), and blazes through the “indoctrination” process. Most of this is boiler-plate and not tai­lored to the new employee. Or maybe the reason is even worse: To put the blame on the employee if something goes wrong during employment.

3. Next, a “pre-requisite”, they tell tales of less than pleasant things going on be­tween various people, usually those in senior positions.

4. I almost forgot! They go to the entrance to point out the mission statement hung on the wall.

5. Then, they weave their way through the office maze and plop the person in the cubicle where s/he is expected to excel.

6. Quick look at the watch: 52 minutes, new record!

Ask yourself how likely the person hired believes they have a job or are part of a mission? Even so, s/he might have some successes that get noticed by “Headhunt­ers” outside the organization. Likelihood the person accepts a better offer? I’ll let you decide.

Great organizations take a different ap­proach:

1. Why do many apply? Buzz on the street says, “You need to be a part of this!”

2. During the first interview, the hiring manager excitedly describes the vi­sion.

3. During a series of subsequent inter­views, the candidate meets and is in­terviewed by most of the team who exude passion for their mission … to serve the customer. The right person can’t wait to be part of the crew.

4. IF the person meets the high standards of the organization, not just in terms of experience and skills but … culture fit, they are offered a position.

5. First day might seem like a homecoming celebration. S/he spends quality time with a facilitator to ensure the person understands the role s/he plays … in the customer’s story. The intrawork­ings are consistent, from the bottom to the top of the organization. Each person knows why s/he is there and what s/he contributes.

6. Not only does the person contribute be­yond expectations, they become an Am­bassador for the organization.

How will you know you are On Course? When every department, every operational detail, and every customer experience are in alignment with where you wanted to go. Set a course and make this happen. If you do, we will see your name on this list next year.

Next episode let’s deal with everyone’s favorite topic: Meetings! .

Ken Pasch is Chief Executive’s Ally, KiVisions, the Leader Transformation Co. “We Help Good People Become Great Leaders!” Their 5 Simple Tools to Trans­form Your Leadership was crafted in the trenches of the world’s greatest leader­ship laboratory and serves leaders in di­verse organizations.

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